Jaipur, one of the three cities of the golden triangle, is approximately 260 km from Delhi. Jaipur literally means the city of victory and is the capital of Rajasthan. It was founded in the year 1727 AD. Also known as the Pink city, Jaipur is named after its founder Sawai Jai Singh II. One of the reasons Jai Singh had behind moving out of the hilltop capital Amer and founding Jaipur was the increasing population and scarcity of water. Apart from that the diminishing power of the Mughals over the north, along with the wealth of the kingdom motivated Jai Singh to plan his new capital in this area.

Jaipur Sightseeing

• Hawa Mahal :

Located to one side, but a part of the city palace complex, hawa mahal is best viewed from the street outside. If it were not for the bustling bazaar all around, it would have been easy to mistake it for a film set, so exquisitely is it proportioned, and so incongruous is its delicacy. Hawa Mahal consists of five tiers of corridors on the inside, with pierced screen windows that overlook the street below. It is believed the women of the royal zenana would sit concealed behind these screens to see life in the city beyond the walls of the palace.

• City palace :

As may be expected, the city palace complex lies at the heart of the city. Getting, in is simpler than it once was. Though the erstwhile maharaja and his family and close friends use the triple-arched tripolia gate to enter their section of the palace, most visitors are ushered in through Atish Pol, which is located close to the royal stables. Cross from here to Chandni Chowk or Moonlit Square, and then on the Gainda ki Deohi or Rhinoceros Gate. At the heart of the complex is the seven-tiered Chandra Mahal where the erstwhile royal family is still in residence, though only a small to consist of a number of arched, pillared halls, while courtyards with painted doorways are a prominent feature.

• Jaigarh :

or the fort of Victory, is a rugged for built in 1726 by Sawai Jai Singh. It was the royal treasury for several years. The world’s Largest cannon on wheels is to be found here. Also of interest in the intricate water supply and storage system which is considered a marvel of planning. The fort has its own museum and provides some excellent views of Amber palace.

• Jantar Mantar :

A stone observatory, parkt of the City Palace complex, jantr manatar is one of several other astronomical observatories creted by maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (others are Delhi, Banaras, Ujjain). These concrete masonry instruments were used to measure everything from altitude to time, and map the movement of the planets and the stars. Jai Singh II had a passion for astronomy and used astronomical inventions from different cultures in the creation of these observatories, the largest of which is in Jaipur.

• Jal Mahal :

A tiny palace romantically located in the middle of a small lake, this was supposed to be a hunting lodge for the royal family. It can only be viewed from the banks of the lake.

HOW TO REACH :

By Air :

The nearest airport to Jaipur is the Sanganer Airport in Jaipur, 10 km from the city. Domestic flights connect Jaipur with Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur and Udaipur.

By Train :

Jaipur is well connected by trains to all the major cities of Rajasthan and India such as Delhi, Agra, Chennai, Jodhpur, Mumbai, Udaipur, Bikaner and Ahmedabad.

By Road :

A well-developed network of road connects Jaipur to important tourist towns of Rajasthan and north India. There are private as well as government buses that connect Jaipur to all the nearby major cities such as Delhi which is  259 Km from Delhi, the Capital of India

 

Advertisement